


Cold Moon Christmas

by Theta8



Category: Harry Potter - J. K. Rowling
Genre: Christmas, Drabble, Fluff, Gen
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2015-12-19
Updated: 2015-12-19
Packaged: 2018-05-07 13:07:05
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 937
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/5457536
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Theta8/pseuds/Theta8
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Because the full moon falls on Christmas this year, I thought of these two.</p>
            </blockquote>





	Cold Moon Christmas

"Oh,  for Merlin's sake, TONKS, TURN THAT OFF!" Remus shouted down to the kitchen from the bedroom.   
"Sorry!" Came the pitying response as the radio turned down. She could hear the footsteps now, shuffling down the hall, pounding downstairs.   
"If I hear that despicable Christmas song one more time, I'm going to light the radio on fire." he growled, settling down at the table with his face pressed against it.  
"Well then, grumpy guts, don't let me get in your way." Tonks obligingly turned off the radio. "Were you trying to take a nap?" She asked with more compassion.   
Remus groaned.

They were currently trapped in a rare coincidence that most people found beautiful and magical, but Remus found utterly miserable. The full moon would fall on Christmas day. The family had made peace with this early in the season, not much happened on Christmas day, and putting it off a while wouldn't be such a big problem- Teddy was upset, but understanding and willing to be patient. His baby sister Hope knew just enough to be disappointed.  
Remus wasn't. He wanted the whole affair over with. The holiday season took their toll on the couple. As much as they liked to participate, the stress aggravated his condition as the moon waxed.

"PMS from hell." he called it. "Pre moon syndrome." Helped a little by rest and the right combination of potions; it still made him grumpy, short tempered, sensitive and tired.

"How about I make you some hot chocolate and put you to bed?" Tonks offered, rubbing her husband's back. He only whimpered in response, turning his head to give her puppy dog eyes. "Is it Friday yet?"|  
"No, hon, it's Monday," she reminded gently. Remus buried his face in his arm again.  
"I can't do this anymore, Dora, I really can't keep doing this."  
"Doing what baby?" she poured a mug of hot chocolate as she rubbed his back.   
"Holidays." he mumbled into the table. "Too much to think about, too many demands on my time and energy." Rolling over onto his cheek, he looked up at her desperately. "I want to enjoy it, I really do- but I just can't seem to manage the littlest things this year. I'll be burnt out by Christmas and it's not fair to Teddy, me being such a grump."   
Tonks listened to every word of it, gears spinning for a solution. "Well, we knew this week was going to be hard on you, physically and emotionally, and I've tried to keep the holiday parties to a minimum- but I guess the whole season is kind of mentally draining," she diagnosed. Remus poured himself a cup of tea and stirred in a few spoonfuls of sugar and cream, heating it again with a tap of his wand.   
"I just wish it was over with. I can wait for a full moon, but I hate having Christmas in the way." He concluded, taking a long sip of his tea. Tonks smiled from a flash of inspiration, hiding it quickly behind her own cup of hot chocolate.

The planning took a few days, the sneaking took another but by friday, she had the plan in place. It took a magic all her own to pull it off, but on Thursday night, she gathered her family around the tree.   
"What are we doing mum?" Teddy wondered excitedly what the surprise would be. "I'm not having another sibling am I?" Remus blanched and stared wide eyed at his chuckling wife.   
"Not yet Teddy bear, no." Tonks smiled as she bounced Hope on her knee. "This is a different kind of surprise." She fixed her eyes on Remus, he was feeling better today, but she could could still see the signs of tension written on his face. "You know how daddy's going to be sick on Christmas day, so we can't do the normal Christmas things?"  
Teddy nodded with a straight face.  
"Well, since you two have been soooo patient and so helpful, I thought we'd have our Christmas a little early this year."   
Teddy whooped and Hope clapped, laughing with him, fit to wake the neighbors. Tonks shushed them after a while, forcing the corners of her smile away from her ears.   
"Can we open presents now?" he begged, "Are we going to gran's house?"   
Remus' look was as inquisitive as his son. Tonks held up a hand to quiet him again, hushing Hope, who'd gotten caught up in all his excitement. "We're going to do Christmas Eve presents tonight, and Christmas morning tomorrow," Teddy bounced in his seat.   
"I called up Mum, and Molly and they said they'd love to have us over for dinner, won't be anything too fancy, but..." she looked Teddy in the eye, "Uncle Harry's going to be there." That got him cheering again, hugging her around the leg. Remus smiled, softly at first, growing quite amused at the idea.  
"Now remember kids, we're only having one Christmas, we're just having it sooner, for daddy, everyone's been very generous," she said, mostly to Remus, "So let's be extra good when we're visiting."   
The emotional and mental pressure valve that had been closed tightly on all his anxieties and symptoms visibly released in a slow sigh and a mellow smile as Remus crossed the room and kissed Dora on the forehead. "Thank you dear, this really does make me feel miles better."   
Dora leaned up to kiss his scratch cheek, little Hope reaching up from her lap to join in the affection.   
"I can't exactly bring the mountain to Mohamed, but I can make the hike a little easier."


End file.
